How to count unique values in Google Sheets on Mac: formulas and steps for Chrome

Count unique values with COUNTUNIQUE

COUNTUNIQUE is the function built for this job. Google's help page gives its syntax as COUNTUNIQUE(value1, [value2]), where value1 is required. Extra values are optional, so you can add more ranges after the first one.

In practice you pass one range. A range is a block of cells, written as the first cell, a colon, and the last cell. A2:A100 means cells A2 down to A100. Row 1 stays out because it usually holds the heading.

Say your fruit names sit in column A, from A2 to A100. Some names repeat. COUNTUNIQUE returns how many different names exist, not how many rows the list has.

The gap between those two numbers shows how much repetition is in the list. A list with many repeats gives a small answer. A list where every name is different gives the same answer as the row count.

Count unique values in a column, step by step

The steps below use one column. They work the same way for any column, as long as the formula points at the right range. Follow them in order the first time, then reuse the formula whenever the list changes.

Why the count can differ from what you expect

Google's COUNTUNIQUE help page does not say whether counting is case sensitive. It also does not say how blank cells or errors are handled. That leaves three checks you can run yourself.

First, test case. Type Apple in one empty cell and apple in another. Then run COUNTUNIQUE over those two cells. If you see two, case matters. If you see one, it does not.

Second, test blanks. Empty cells at the bottom of a range can change the answer. Narrow the range to the rows that hold data, then compare the answer with a count by hand.

Third, test spaces. A value with a trailing space can look identical to one without it. The count can treat them as different values, so check for stray spaces.

• Extra spaces at the start or end of a value. Trim them first.
• A range that stops early, such as A2:A50 when the list runs to row 100.
• A header counted as data because the range starts at row 1.
• Nonbreaking spaces, which Trim whitespace does not remove.

Trim spaces and clean the list before you count

Google's cleanup tools live under Data > Data cleanup. Trim whitespace removes extra leading, trailing, and excessive spaces. Nonbreaking spaces are not trimmed, so look for them if the count still seems high.

Run Trim whitespace on the range before you count. It changes the cells, so keep a copy of the sheet if you need the original text.

Remove duplicates in Google Sheets on Mac

Counting and deleting are different jobs. COUNTUNIQUE leaves your data alone. Remove duplicates deletes the repeat rows from the range you select.

Google's help page gives the path as Data > Data cleanup > Remove duplicates. Google says cells count as duplicates when their values match, even if formatting or formulas differ. Google also says letter case does not make rows different in this command.

That rule is for Remove duplicates only. It does not tell you how COUNTUNIQUE handles case, so run your own test before you compare the two results.

Install Google Sheets on your Mac

Google's pages do not describe a native Mac app for Sheets. Google's product page says you can create, view, and edit spreadsheets from a phone, tablet, or desktop. It also says you can work without an internet connection.

If you want a Dock icon, Chrome can install the web app. A third-party guide from The Bricks, dated February 20, 2025, describes the route. Go to sheets.google.com, then click the install icon in the address bar.

Or open the three dot menu, choose Save and Share > Install Google Sheets, click Install, and drag the app to the Dock from Applications or Launchpad.

Safari works differently. File > Add to Dock pins the web page to the Dock. The same guide notes that Safari only pins the page, so it is not a full install.

Google Sheets shortcuts on Mac

Google's shortcut page lists a small set of Mac keys. Show common keyboard shortcuts is ⌘ /. Tool finder, which used to be called Search the menus, is ⌥ /.

Use Tool finder when you know a command's name but not its menu. Type Remove duplicates, pick the match, and the command runs from the list.

Undo is ⌘ z. Find is ⌘ f. Paste values only is ⌘ ⇧ v. Undo is the fastest fix when a removal goes wrong.

Google's page lists no shortcut for Remove duplicates or Data cleanup. Use the Data menu or Tool finder for those commands.

Mistakes people make when counting unique values

The most common mistake is the range. A formula that stops at row 50 misses every row below it. Scroll to the bottom of the list and check the last row before you trust the number.

The second mistake is counting the header. If the range starts at row 1, the heading becomes one more value. Start at row 2 to keep it out of the count.

The third mistake is expecting a list. COUNTUNIQUE returns one number. It does not show you the values. If you need the values, sort the column and read them down, or remove duplicates in a copy.

The fourth mistake is editing a shared sheet. Removing duplicates changes the file for everyone with edit access. Check with your team before you run it on a shared file.

Limits to know for large sheets

Google's Drive limits page says a Google Sheets spreadsheet holds up to 20 million cells or 100MB. Connected Sheets extracts are capped at 500k rows or 5 million cells.

For most lists, these limits never matter. If your list is near them, count a smaller range first, then split the file. Google's COUNTUNIQUE page lists a 30 value maximum, but it also says Sheets accepts more, so test big formulas first.

Next steps after you count

Once you have the count, you may want to sort, filter, or summarize the list. These guides cover those steps for Google Sheets on Mac: sort data by column, filter a range, and SUMIF.

If you want to remove repeated rows for good, read the duplicate rows guide before you run the menu command. It covers the same command with more fixes.